Republican lawmakers in Ohio are moving forward with measures banning biological boys in girls sports and transgender surgeries for children amid debate about what their "reproductive freedom" ballot measure means.
The GOP supermajorities held in both of the Buckeye State's legislative houses are sending pieces of legislation to Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) that would restrict transgender medical interventions for children, ban boys from using girls changing facilities and restrooms, and prevent drag shows in front of children, among other legislative items.
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Ohio voters recently passed an amendment to the state constitution that was sold as a way to enshrine abortion access into law, but that was worded, opponents say, to make room for sex-change surgeries for children because of its vague reference to "reproductive freedom."
Republican state Rep. Gary Click said he believes voters were confused about the scope of the amendment when they voted in favor of it in November.
"My impression is when people went to vote, they looked at the top line,” Click said, according to Cleveland.com. “I think a lot of people said, ‘Yes, we want abortion,’ and ‘Yes, we want weed,’ and everything fell below that wasn’t really on people’s radar.”
While Democrats in the Ohio legislature are trying to define "reproductive health care" to include sex-change operations and gender transition drugs for children, Republicans in the chamber have sent a bill banning such medical interventions to DeWine's desk.
DeWine, who has not taken a public stance on the Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation bil, has pledged to veto or sign the bill this week. The measure would also bar boys from competing in sports leagues that do not align with their biological sex.
Republican state Rep. Josh Williams authored the drag show bill after hearing from his constituents that gay pride events included adult nudity in front of children.
Legislators in Ohio have heard hours of testimony about the bills, most of which was from opponents. However, Republican state Senate President Matt Huffman said, "We don’t make laws just for the hundreds of people that come and testify. We make laws for over 11 million people."
Activists who supported the ballot initiative, which took effect earlier this month, believe Ohioans knew their vote would include gender transition for children, Equality Ohio's public policy director, Maria Bruno, suggested.
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“I believe that the message sent from Ohio voters to politicians at the Statehouse is the government doesn’t have any business being in our doctors’ offices,” Bruno said. “There is an appreciation that the expertise and actual knowledge of unique situations actually matters.”
However, recent polling shows Ohioans are overwhelmingly opposed to gender ideology, particularly when it involves children. A July survey showed 70% of registered voters opposed biological males playing on girls sports teams, 66% supported restricting drag shows to adults and opposed medical interventions for children, and 54% said they oppose allowing people who claim transgender identity to use public facilities that do not align with their biological sex.